


Vessel

by hinawa



Category: Mother 2: Gyiyg no Gyakushuu | EarthBound, Mother 3
Genre: Body Horror, Child Death, Death, Destruction, Injury, Language, Mild Gore, Multi, alcohol mention
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-17
Updated: 2015-11-15
Packaged: 2018-04-09 21:07:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,993
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4364192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hinawa/pseuds/hinawa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(Tags/rating will be updated as the fic goes on.)<br/>As people begin returning to Tazmily to rebuild their lives,  Flint uncovers the secrets of his past.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Dust Clears

Flint wakes. It is dark. He shakes as he stands. His eyes adjust.

 

"How am I still alive?"

 

The building around him is crumbled. One hundred stories of the tower are piled onto the cavern-like basement. The rubble scratches at the foggy purple night above. As he looks up, he feels a light touch on his shoulder and turns. His son, Lucas, is behind him. He's covered in filth, and his glassy eyes stare through it. "The shield worked," he says in a near whisper.

The boy’s knees are dangerously close to buckling but his eyes are staring straight ahead, as if he's willing himself to stand. From behind him, a brown dog trots up, panting. He is followed by a young woman with short, pink hair and a tall, thin fellow with a limp. The woman grins hard and lifts the boy into the air.

"You did it!" she exclaims.

Lucas lets out a gasp but doesn't fight it. He's still put down right away and she ruffles his hair. Now he's giggling. "Hey, cut it out Kumatora!" She responds with a roll of her eyes and a hand on her hip.

Lucas turns to his father again. "Dad, these are the friends that helped me do all of this."

Flint nods. "Duster, I know," he says motioning towards the other man. Duster gives Flint a sheepish grin and rubs the back of his neck. "He was a huge help when we went to look for you, your brother, and Mom that night..."

A beat of silence hangs in the air. Lucas bites his lip. Flint decides to continue.  


“Who might your other friend be?"

The boy perks up a bit. "This is Kumatora. She's like me, dad. She's psychic!"

"We ain't that alike, kid," she says with a crack of her knuckles.  
"I'm cooler, but you can put up with a lot more crap."

Flint looks at them both. Deep in his mind he feels something shift when he hears his son mention the power he and his companion have. 

"So that's the 'magic' you were using when you were fighting with Porky, and then when you fought with..."

He stops as Lucas gives a look and lowers his head. There is still that matter to attend to. Lucas knows it too and he walks up to place a hand on his father's shoulder. He didn’t touch this one before, so Flint winces, remembering the injury he received in the whole altercation. The shock completely wears off and it hurts even more now. He gives a hiss and grasps at the arm.

"Oh, yeah, you got hurt pretty badly back there, right? Hold still," Lucas says softly.  
A faint green glow emerges from his hand as he runs it over the injury. The pain slowly fades into a dull throb and Flint shakes it out.

Lucas looks his father in the eye.

"His body is still there. We should bring it with us so we can bury it."

\---

It's not far from where they met up. Lucas leads them around the corner to the spot. There, Flint sees the reason the tower fell, and why so many other buildings around them are probably destroyed. There is a gaping black hole in the ground where a golden needle once was. Some rubble seems to fall into it but it doesn't really seem to go anywhere after. It's almost as if it's absorbed by the blackness.

Lying in front of the hole is the body of his other son, Claus. There is no mistaking the fact that it will never move again. It lies with eyes closed, mouth pressed. The arms lie limp at the sides and the chest does not rise and fall. The party keeps their distance from the scene at first, taking it all in. Lucas is the first person to move in. He crouches by his brother’s body.

"I don't think I can carry it on my own," he says flatly.

Flint chews the inside of his lip and steps to the other side. "I'll take it. We should…uh..."

He roots through his pockets for something to cover the face. He settles for pulling off the red bandana hanging around his neck. He kneels to place it over the face and his chest tightens. He shakes, knowing he can't afford to lose his grip now. _I’ve done it enough,_ he thinks to himself.

He hauls the body over his shoulder. "How are we meant to get out of here?" Flint asks, his voice straining.

"There's an emergency stairway," a voice says from somewhere around the corner. It belongs to Dr. Andonuts, who is rolling a metal capsule containing Porky Minch, the cause of all of the dilemma. He stops moving, resting casually against the wobbling capsule to evaluate all that lay in front of him.

"I was going to dispose of that body, myself,” he says with a motion towards Flint, “but it seems it has already been claimed."

"It has," Flint says sternly. "He is my son."

The researcher stands silently for a moment before rolling the capsule next to the hole. "I will probably leave this here. It is prudent to have the area sealed as soon as possible so nothing like this will happen again."

“But wha…”

He moves in front of the party before any more questions could be asked. "Come, now. I will show you the way out."

\---

Though things in the village had changed immensely over the last few years, the foundations of the houses were still primitive compared to those in the city, so they crumbled into the ground. The only things standing are made of stone, and even they are damaged immensely. Despite this, the villagers slowly trickle back to what was once their homes to salvage anything they can, and to see how they can go back to rebuilding their lives.

 

The villagers whisper amongst the stones of the crumbled square.

 

"It's not as if we can just go back to how it was before!"

"But it felt wrong..."

"Whoever said progress was wrong should be evaluated."

"I thought there was something quaint about it all."

 

The whispers hush when a procession moves through. It is actually less of a procession and more of a trio. Duster and Kumatora had returned to where they lived to evaluate the damages, while Dr. Andonuts stayed behind in the city to oversee the cleanup in that area.

Lucas stands in front of his father like a guard. His dog wanders further ahead. "Boney, heel," he calls out, and the dog runs back to his side. Lucas turns to his father. "Just a bit longer. You okay?"

Flint grunts in response, shifting the load over his shoulder. On the way out, they had found some proper bedsheets to wrap it in so it was now less conspicuous. People still stare with curiosity, and then a new set of whispers start.

"Is he the one?"

"He saved us!"

"No he started it."

 

They just continue along the path to a small cliff overlooking the ocean. When they get there they find that the entire cliff has crumbled and their house, with everything attached, has fallen into the sea below. Flint closes his eyes, his mouth pressing to a hard line. Lucas turns to look at him.

"First, put the body down," he huffs. Flint does just that, laying the wrapped body over the dirt beside the broken path. "We can rest before we...decide what to do," Lucas mumbles. Flint nods and they both sit.

Flint sees his son's eyes are glazed over with some mixture of exhaustion and possible illness. He places a hand to his forehead. He's burning with a fever.

"It's normal," Lucas says with a thin smile. "After doing a lot, I get a fever for a short while and then I get a new power."

"So it happens a lot?" Flint asks, his voice laced with concern as he cocks his head to the side.

The boy nods. "Yeah, don't worry."

Flint just bites his lip. He feels something like a stone dropping in his stomach. He looks at Lucas and at the wrapped figure.

"I don't want to worry you, but should we..."

"Yes," Lucas interrupts. He moves over to unwrap the sheets, hands trembling. "We can, uh, say things, I guess."

 

Flint moves closer, kneeling beside the body on the sheet. He hadn't been present for most of his wife's funeral and now he is seeing it all up close for the first time. There is so much scarring and metal everywhere. One arm is completely gone, replaced with a canon that no one bothered to remove before they left. There is a metal pack grafted into the back. His red hair is combed with military and machine precision. Beneath it all is the resting mirror image of Lucas' face.

Flint's lips are numb. He rests a hand on his son's cold face. It all clicks together in his mind now and he feels his cheeks turn wet, his chest heaving a bit. Lucas has his arms around his father and is trying not to cry.  
  
He pulls his father in close, whispering, "it's okay now."

\---

Kumatora runs a gloved hand over what was once a piano, now lying in splinters beneath a fallen boulder. The dining hall is completely caved in by fallen debris.  Though the heavy stone walls of Osohe Castle continue to stand, some of the support beams are fallen, apparently having taken bits of the ceiling with it.

Through the gaps in the ceiling, Kumatora can see the light fading from the orange sky.

She moves toward the broken stone slab that she knows was once a dining table. There are shattered wine glasses, accompanied by the stench of freshly poured wine. However, there is no trace of any wine to be seen.

 

A sudden pounding is heard from the entrance that makes Kumatora nearly jump from her skin. She figures if it's any threat, she is prepared to fight it. She slowly makes her way towards the great hall, arguably the least destroyed part of the castle, with a hand raised and ready to strike. The heavy front doors, so miraculously still standing, are swung open.

 

"Damn it, Duster, you nearly gave me a heart attack!"

 

The defensive hand is lowered as Duster stands giving a sheepish grin.

"Who else would I be?"

 

"If it were 'anyone else' they would have been sent to the moon!" She yells out. Duster just chuckles, head lowered. This seems to make Kumatora fume even more.

"I'm coming really close to doing the same to you too, asshole!"

 

"I'd appreciate if you didn't do that and maybe let me in?"

 

She rolls her eyes, stepping aside to allow him to come in. When they are both inside, he faces her with an expression of seriousness.

 

"The others, the villagers, I mean, asked me to see you about the castle."

 

"Huh? What for?"

 

"We need to find shelter for the people who had their houses destroyed. It's the only building big enough that's still standing."

 

She bites her lip, a feeling of tightness in her chest. The place was barely fit to hold her alone in its virtual prime, which is to say, the time when chunks of the ceiling weren't missing.

"There's probably no way to go upstairs or down. I can barely make it through the ground level as it is, now."

 

Duster sighs and looks at the floor. He also remembers when he had been there. Even without major damage it still had been decayed with age. Still he huffs out. "It's our best shot for now, until the Yado Inn is back up. We'll try clearing it all out beforehand to see if we even can..."

 

"It could still be dangerous," she interrupts. "If something is put out of place, then the whole castle would come down on top of someone."

 

"Lucas is coming. He said he'd use his shield if something like that happens."

"So we involve him? What if his shield breaks?"

"He said it was his chance to take."

"That idiot," she growls. She can feel her face grow hot at a point beyond fury.

Duster places a hand on her shoulder. "Remember all the risks we took before? It would be awfully silly if we lost our lives over something as minor as this."

She sighs and nods. "I suppose."

 

She looks out into the distance, at nothing in particular. Even as she calms down, she can feel the heat grow in her cheeks. "Damn, not now..."

"Is it the fever again? Lucas said he was getting one too."

"Must be," she sighs. "Mind if we sit?"

Duster nods and they both slowly make a place on the floor.

 

"You talked to Lucas earlier? How is he holding out?" she asks. "I was checking the damages here and didn't get to make my way out to his place."

"There's the problem, Lucas doesn't have a place anymore," Duster responds flatly.

"Woah, what?"

"His house was on a cliff. It all crashed into the sea. At least the sheep made it, somehow..."

She shakes her head. "I guess we really have to clear out some space now," she laughs sadly.

"For me too. They turned my house into an old folk's home, remember? It hardly made it either, anyway."

 

"All of it?"

He nods.

"Oh."

 

Duster just gives a sickly looking grin in response.

 

They both sit in silence for a while. Duster lies down on his back and Kumatora does the same. Through the broken ceiling, the sky is indigo and flecked with stars. Kumatora lies her head on Duster's chest. He puts an arm around her.

 

 

They sleep.

 

\---

 

He is suspended in the darkness, but a silver light shines in front of him. He runs to it, but it seems to get further with every step. Jumbled fragments of voices pulse rapidly through his mind as he continues.

 

"Eat some ste..."

 

"I knew you would c..."

 

"Shy, nearsi...."

 

"I am the o..."

 

"Big br..."

 

Suddenly, he is where the light is, and he can see what is illuminated in its glow. It is a silver capsule with a pig nose stamped on it.

Another voice pulses.

"I, Por..."

\---

 

Flint awakens with a start, clutching his chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my first multi-chapter fic. I really hope I don't mess it up. Just a quick warning that updates may be slow. Anyway, please let me know if there are any errors. I tried to proofread to the best of my ability. Also let me know what you think of this overall! I'm always looking to improve!  
> Thanks!


	2. Four Souls

In the town square, a makeshift tent has been set up for the townspeople to stay as they rebuild. A meager breakfast of leftover oatmeal boxes brought from the city is served. No one speaks as they try to savor the bland dish, which could probably be their only for the day.

Lucas was gone when Flint woke that morning, after falling back into a somewhat fitful sleep. _He is probably making arrangements with Duster and Kumatora_ , Flint had thought. _I hope he had something to eat before he left._

As he pokes at the watery concoction, Lisa sits near him. Her gaze moves between her breakfast and Flint. Though they had been friends in the past, and she had even introduced him to his wife, she ended up being, more so, friends with Hinawa than with him. This is why he responds to Lisa's odd body language by giving her a glance in return.

"Can I do something for you?" he asks.

"Just meet up with me after we've eaten, I guess," the other says in a near whisper.

"Why are you being so quiet?"

"I don’t know. We don't have secrets do we?"

"I don't know exactly what that would mean."

"Did you sleep well last night, Flint?" Lisa suddenly asks.

"I had strange dreams, but yes..." he lies, somewhat, remembering how he tossed and turned through the night after waking from his nightmare with a start.

"I see," is all Lisa says. She gives him one last glance before sitting by her husband and children.

\---

With Boney panting at his side, Lucas knocks on the doors to Osohe castle, hoping Kumatora is awake. It surprises him when Duster answers instead, donning the shirt he was wearing the day before and a half-asleep expression.

"Oh, Duster, hello!" Lucas greets. "I didn't know you were here too this early."

"I spent the night," he yawns before blinking into a more "awakened" state. "Uh, I...well...you know..."

"I wasn't accusing you of anything!" Lucas yelps suddenly, his cheeks turning pink.

"Stop scarin' the kid," Kumatora says, coming up from behind Duster. She leans up against the wall.

Lucas stares at the ground, searching for something to say.

"Oh!" he finally exclaims, then lowers the rucksack from his back. He kneels and roots through it until he produces three packages of oatmeal. "These are from the town rations. I think it says to add water to them," he says as he squints at words printed on the back of one of the packages.

Boney gives him a look. ("None for me?"), he whines to Lucas telepathically. Lucas scratches him behind the ears. ("We still have some of your food.")

("Some reward for savin' the world, eh? Next time, you get the kibble!"), he barks. Lucas chuckles, giving him a last pat before standing up to face Kumatora and Duster.

"Let's figure all of this out inside," Duster says. He steps aside to allow Lucas and Boney in.

\---

The four spend a few hours doing their best to clean the dining room in preparation for further changes. A broom is found and shattered glass, smaller debris, cobwebs, and dust are swept into a pile. The group reluctantly does their best to break down the old piano and place the pieces in the yard. "Maybe we can use those later," Lucas says as they do this, though it doesn’t seem to change the look on Kumatora's face. They try moving the dining table, as well, but it is too heavy, even with the combined strength of the three humans in the group. Exhausted, they sit down on the dining room's freshly swept floor, trying to plan on what to do next.

"We'll need stonger people to move the heavy stone debris," Lucas muses.

"Definitely, or at least more," Kumatora coughs. "We should at least try to do our best to clear stuff out for people beforehand so it's easier."

"I just can't believe you did all of that with your fevers, assuming you still have them," Duster pipes up.

Kumatora looks at Lucas and then looks at him. "I guess we're just used to it after a while, right?"

Lucas nods in return. "It really doesn't hurt all that much. Besides, we've done much more before, right?"

"Totally," Kumatora replies, giving a thumbs up.

Still, Duster can see that both of them look shaky and pale. He wonders, after everything that they went through on their journey, why there was still so much more to be done. _I suppose that's just the way things will be_ , he thinks. Now that they all are resting, he notices how much his leg aches, how his leg brace rubs hard against it. It normally never bothers him, but he wonders if he just tunes it out like they do too.

He looks at Boney, with his head rested on his young master's lap. He remembers how, three years ago, Lucas would crouch next to the doghouse in sleeplessness and grief. Now the boy is taller and the look on his face is a blank slate. He seems deep in contemplation, his blue eyes glazed over and staring into the distance. Kumatora, next to him, is fading into sleep with a snore escaping.

Duster slides closer to Lucas, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Hey," he mutters. "How are you doing after everything that happened? I know you're sick too, but you seem kind of out of it."

Lucas blinks and lowers his head. "I didn't sleep last night," he sighs. "They already gave Claus to Nippolyte. They'll bury him at the end of the week."

"Oh," is all Duster can manage. "Uh, I'm sorry. I only remember him a bit from when he was little..." he stammers. _And when he was attacking us_ , he thinks.

Lucas pets Boney's head. "I was with him at the end, but it still doesn't feel like enough. Does that make me selfish?"

He looks up at Duster and the look he gives nearly shatters his heart.

Duster awkwardly pulls him into a hug. "No. You did everything you could."

"I don't know what I did to justify any of this," the boy huffs into Duster's shoulder. "I just destroyed everything. I thought I could make it better."

"There must be a reason for this, Lucas."

"I hope so," he mumbles, pulling away.

Duster leans back. "Why don't we all take a nap? We can work on the kitchen and stuff later."

Lucas nods, his eyelids falling as soon as he lies down. Boney readjusts to snuggle into his back.

\---

As people break into search parties to hunt for tools and supplies, Flint spies Lisa standing by her old gossip spot where the fountain once was. She waves at him frantically as he gives a small, awkward one back.

"There you are, thought you'd never show," she nearly wheezes as he comes closer. Her body seems stiff and tense, as if she’s been existing her entire life in an anxious state.

Flint can sense the tension crackling in the air. He wonders if he should leave, but how could he after such a cryptic encounter earlier? His curiosity claims him. "Uh, yeah," he stammers. "Now what's this about?"

Lisa rolls her eyes. "Follow me, I'll show you."

His stomach clenches when she grasps his hand and nearly stomps out of the town square, up the northward path. It's a path Flint has treaded many times, but he still wonders what the purpose of it all is as Lisa takes him through the cemetery and up the hill to his wife's grave.

She stops, yanking her hand away. "Tell me about the dream you had.”

Sweat drips down Flint’s neck. "Why are we here?"                                        

"Tell me,” Lisa seems to command.

Flint's feet feel like they're made of lead, so no matter how much he wants to leave, he can't. "Uh...I was floating in the dark, then I saw a bright thing. I ran to it and I heard a bunch of voices that I couldn't make out. When I got to the bright thing, it was...uh...a capsule. The capsule they put... _him_ in."

"Who?"

"Porky. You know, _him_." He makes an emphasizing motion with his hands, indicating the subject’s grand scale.

Lisa's eyes cloud over. "I knew it."

Flint looks even more confused. "What?"

"Your dream is somewhat like mine, maybe connected."

"H...how so?"

"I was in the darkness too, but I felt like I was someone else, rehearsing a scene from a play. I could see you running by. Rather, I knew it was you but it looked like someone else also."

Flint feels dizzy, but the leaded feeling wills him to stand. “Now that you mention it, my body did feel different."

"You were a young boy your son's age?”

"Yes," he responds automatically. His head begins to pulse.

"So was I."

The world blurs like a painting before him. Colors blend. Lisa is swaying, changing.

A voice not his own radiates and echoes through the space between them from his lips. "Jeff, is that you?"

Somehow, the voice feels more natural.

A boy with glasses smiles in front of him. From behind there is the slightest flash of pink.

\---

_In a sterile room below the ground, so many years ago, four bodies lie on four operating tables. Four people stand above them._

_"Is this really the only way to survive?"_

_"We've done this before, right? We can do it again."_


	3. Gravity

Duster is the first to wake from the nap. He checks the position of the sun in the sky to see that it is later in the afternoon. He wakes the others and rallies them to begin work in the kitchen. Osohe castle's kitchen is a small room, but with many surfaces, along with more heavy debris, it still proves to be a challenge to clean. Kumatora, Duster and Lucas spend more time in there than they would like to admit. However, with their combined efforts, they are making decent progress and are soon nearly done.

Lucas wipes his brow. The place is stiflingly warm, and the afternoon sun beating down through the collapsed ceiling isn't doing him any favors, nor is his fever. He sighs as he continues wiping a dusty counter. "I wonder if one of us should make a run back to the camp for water?" he asks.

"That's probably a good idea," Kumatora responds without looking up from her sweeping. "How do we decide who goes?"

Duster looks at her and grins. "I know one way." He eagerly sets down what he's doing to place a fist in the palm of his hand. "Stone, sheet, clippers! C'mon!"

Lucas grins while Kumatora laughs and rolls her eyes. They both mimic the same hand motion that Duster is making and begin the game.  
By the end, Lucas is the loser, Duster the winner. Kumatora laughs, "I thought you were psychic, Luc!"

"I'm not a cheater," he groans mockingly.

"You sure about that? I recall someone using 'intuitions' to win the last time."

"Even if I used my powers I don't think I could beat Duster anyway, that guy's the champ," he says, motioning towards Duster who gives a rather smug smile.

"The DCMC guys used to play it all the time to decide everything. I had to get good at it or I'd be laundry boy for the month," the esteemed winner says, leaning against the counter top. He smiles a bit, reminiscing about his old band-mates.

"It's true, they wouldn't do anything without it!" Kumatora exclaims.

"As much as I'd like to stick around and hear stories about your Club Titiboo days, I really need to get water," Lucas says with a chuckle. "Boney and I can go back to the camp."

Kumatora nods. "We can finish things up in here and move on to the great hall. We might be working late into the night so if you run into your dad, tell him you could be spending the night here."

"Will do," Lucas replies. "Should I bring some extra food for dinner, then?"

"We'd appreciate it," Duster says, smiling.

Lucas signals for Boney. "I'll be back later, “he calls out as he leaves the kitchen.

 

\---

Eyes adjust to the hyper-colored impressionistic world. He shakes his head rapidly, then pinches himself. When he's sure it's not all a dream, a smile spreads over his face

"Jeff! It's been so long!" Ness cries out, embracing the boy in front of him.

 Jeff trembles and the other quickly loosens his grip.

He adjusts his glasses. "The project was quite a success then!" he exclaims. "The new bodies made it to the other side."

"Yeah," Ness breathes out. "That egg thing restored our memories too, I guess."

Jeff nods. "Precisely, which means we can now see each other for who we really are."

"I guess the dream that I had, that we had, meant that this is who I was," Ness says pointing to himself. "But that means for years we've been living as other people."

"That was the point of the White Ship project, for us at least. Everyone else in the village, save the four of us, kept their bodies and souls," Jeff responds. "You remember how it was right?"

"Yeah, we bound our souls to new bodies so we could be transferred here," he says. "I still don't understand why we couldn't go as ourselves, I mean, in our old bodies."

"We had already gone through time to try to stop that destruction from happening, but by then people were already getting on the ship when they realized the world couldn't be salvaged. If we went through any more intense travel like that, our bodies would have rapidly decayed. It's kind of the same reason we used the robot suits on Giygas."

"There's still one problem. I don't quite remember much about how I lived in the new body."

"As long as we can go back and forth like this now, I don't see how that would be a problem," Jeff huffs, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Well, it means I don't know who else around here would be...one of us," Ness says with a sheepish expression. "Don't tell me you aren't curious about what you did, either."

The other boy lets his arms hang at his sides. "You have a point. We should try seeing who else is having funny dreams."

Ness nods. "It can be anyone, too. I'm a cowboy or something, that's what it feels like anyway. You're...uh....a housewife?"

Jeff shrugs. "I've no qualms so long as my body is healthy."

"Good point."

"The point to take away, I guess, is that we can't really rule anyone out when we look for them."

Suddenly, Ness clutches his head, and strains. "I think...we should start looking for people," he grunts through clenched teeth. "I can't keep the projection up for much longer."

"This is goodbye for now, then," Jeff says as he sadly waves.

 

\---

Bronson is stirring a pot of some bubbling concoction when Lucas and Boney approach the tent. Some other villagers are milling about, chattering and resting from the day's activities. Everyone looks up when Lucas enters, their words ceasing and leaving silence in their place. Lucas looks at Boney, who whimpers and sits near the tent entrance as his master moves forward.

"Hello Bronson," he waves, trying not to let his guard down in the intense atmosphere.

Bronson makes a face. "Oh, hello Lucas," he grumbles. "What can I do for ya?"

The boy's eyes dart about. What's going on in here? "J...just need a canteen of water for the cleanup crew at Oshoe," he stammers, giving a nervous laugh along with it. "Maybe some food so we can have dinner, too."

Bronson motions to Alle, who is sitting nearby, to take over cooking duties. She eagerly does and stirs the food with a spoon that's still a bit too big in her small hand. Bronson steps away from the station and moves toward the tent flap. "Come with me," he mutters and Lucas follows him out of the tent. He takes him around the corner where some crates and supplies from the day's haul are stacked.

"Sorry about that silent treatment you got back there," he says as he moves to open one of the crates. "People are still in shock about everything, ya know?"

Lucas shrugs. "I'm not surprised. I probably deserve it after what I did to their homes."

"You did the right thing," Bronson snorts as he rifles through the supplies. "We all needed a kick in the ass." He hands the boy three canteens. "Here you go. You'll probably have to collect some water from the river. The well is dry."

Lucas takes the canteens. "I...thank you..." he says shakily. He looks up suddenly. "Have you seen my dad around anywhere?"

Bronson shakes his head. "Not since this morning. I saw him leaving the village with Lisa, but I don't know why, or where they were going."

Lucas lowers his shoulders dejectedly. "Oh, I see."

Bronson places a hand on his shoulder with a grin. "Come on, let's go see if Alle is done with the chili. I'm sure you'll run into him on your way back to the castle."

"I hope so," Lucas says quietly as he follows Bronson back into the tent.

\---

The world filters back through and Flint opens his eyes. He and Lisa are lying on the hill next to Hinawa's grave. He rubs his throbbing head and groans.

"L...Lisa."

She sits upright and looks at him. "We both passed out and had another strange dream, right?"

"That felt way too real, Lisa."

"I know," she says in a low voice.

"Something is telling me we have to look for other people having strange dreams to get to the bottom of this."

Before anyone can respond, the sound of footsteps crunching through the grass makes its way up the hill. The two turn to look as Lucas approaches, adjusting the heavy rucksack over his shoulder. Boney follows closely behind.

"There you are!" Lucas exclaims, moving as quickly as he can toward Flint.

Flint grins and stands to greet his son. "Lucas, hi. Taking a break from the castle?"

"Kind of. I went to get some more food and water. I also needed to ask you something but I was a bit worried when you weren't back at the tent. I think it might be dinner time over there, already."

Flint ruffles the boy's hair, then turns to Lisa. "Why don't ya go back and have dinner. I'll go after you. I need to talk to Lucas for a bit." Lisa leaves without a word, leaving the two to themselves.

"What did you need from me?" Flint asks when he's sure she's gone.

"I wanted to know if I could spend the night at the castle with Duster and Kumatora. We still have a way to go and decided to work through the night so we can finish more quickly."

"Don't see why not. After all you did together I think I can trust 'em. I just worry you'll wear yourself out."

"I can do this, Dad."

"Alright. Just be sure to rest when you feel tired."

"Don't worry about it," Lucas smiles. He looks around and leans in, suddenly. "What were you doing with Lisa?"

Something throbs in the back of Flint's head but he pushes it away. He doesn't feel like telling Lucas about his strange visions with everything going on. "We went to gather supplies together and I wanted to stop off here to say hi to your mom, is all."

Lucas' face grows somber. "I see." He looks toward the grave and sighs. "On Friday, we'll bury Claus here too."

Flint sighs and puts an arm around his son's shoulder. "Yes. Then we can visit him whenever we want, right?"

Lucas looks out towards the setting sun.

\---

 

By the middle of the week, crews are in the castle to remove rubble and soon, people begin moving into the space. There is even some tarp placed to cover the holes in the ceiling.

"The place is as fit to live in as it ever was before," Kumatora observes.

"I'd say, even better!" Wess, who is sitting next to her at a newly placed table in the great hall, spits. "You, the squirt, and the moron did a good job."

"You're saying I lived in a dump before?" Kumatora asks, cocking her head to the side.

"No offense but..."

"That's enough, Dad," Duster interrupts, plopping into a chair between them.

"Come on! You saw the place before, don't tell me it wasn't a wreck."

"It just needed some sprucing up," Duster says as he crosses his arms.

"You're the one who needs sprucing up. You stink like sweat socks," Wess grunts while pinching his nose and waving the air in front of him.

Duster rolls his eyes. Kumatora boots in. "And you smell like roses, geezer?"

Wess lets out a laugh. "At least I try." He pats Duster on the back. "C'mon, don't take it so personally. I'm gonna get us whatever Bronson made today." We walks off towards the kitchen area to grab food.

Duster lays his head on the table in exhaustion. "I already know I smell," he grumbles.

Kumatora lays a hand on his back. "I don't mind it, though."

"I know."

\---

_"I guess in a way this is like starting over," she says sadly. "Does this mean I'll never see you again?"_

_"We'll find each other. Don't worry. Then I can marry you like I promised!"_

_This brings a smile to her face as she puts her head on his shoulder._

_"How will we call Jeff to fix our toaster when it breaks?"_  
  
_“I’ll make sure he gets to it, don’t worry,” another voice says from behind._

\---

Lucas looks in a mirror at an over-sized dress shirt draped over his form. It is a hand-me-down of sorts, salvaged from one of the other villagers. He tries to get around it by rolling up the sleeves and tucking it into the also salvaged, also over-sized pants, barely clinging to his thin frame by a belt. He puts his red face into his hands. "Everyone will see this! I look like a clown!"

"Relax, they understand," Flint reassures him, placing a hand on his shoulder. He is wearing a borrowed shirt, as well, though he had gotten it from Lighter, who is about the same size, so the fit is better. "Besides, not everyone's house washed into the sea. They'll have to deal with what we make do with."

Lucas gives a shaky laugh as he turns around. "I guess, but still!"

Before Flint can say more, there is a knock on the door and he moves to answer it. Lisa is standing in the doorway. Lucas gives a wary look as Flint steps out of the room.

"What is it?"

"I was woken up by my husband tossing and turning," she says with an enthused hint in her voice. "I could hear him mumble something about Jeff, the boy from our vision."

Flint's eyebrows raise. "Keep an eye on him. Ask him about it!"

She nods. "I plan to ask both him and the kids after the...well..."

"There's no need to dance around it, Lisa," Flint huffs.

She sighs. "The funeral."  
  
The word hits Flint like a brick. _Maybe she should have kept dancing around it,_ he thinks. Instead he just hears himself squeak out meagerly. "Right."

The awkward silence nearly consumes them both when Kumatora rushes up the stairs and nearly smacks into them. She steps back.

"Ah! Mister Lucas' dad! Ah, sorry, I mean Flint!”

"That's me," he grunts.

"Right!” She exclaims, he body trembling with a nervousness. “Uh, well as it turns out someone is at the door for you and Lucas. Mostly Lucas, though," she yelps.

"Calm down, Kumatora." He puts a hand on her shoulder. "What has you so worked up?"

"Just head down and find out!"

Flint calls Lucas from the room and the group rushes downstairs as quickly as they can.

Lucas lets out a gasp as he sees the sight in the great hall. Duster is in a defensive stance, one staple in hand. The rest of the staples are pinning a wriggling pigmask private to the wall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for taking so long with this! I feel like I didn't do the best on this chapter, and it's kind of rushed, but I wanted to get it out as soon as I could. I also didn't know when I would feel motivated to write again. orz;
> 
> Anyway, if you see something wrong, please let me know. Also feel free to add criticism and commentary!


	4. Funeral

Duster grips the staple in his hands until his knuckles turn white. He's puffing for air, partially from the task he just completed and partially from being overwrought by nerves. Sweat from his forehead drips to the floor below.

Lucas rushes to his side, his eyes a mixture of fear, shock, and absolute lividness. Boney growls beside him. "How did this happen?" he asks Duster, his voice hitching with the intensity of emotion. He doesn't move his eyes from the pigmask pinned to the wall with the staples that struggle to maintain their hold against the struggling weight.

Duster snaps from his shock and shakes his head. "We were all getting ready when I heard a knock on the door. The pig was standing right there,” he explains with a slight motion to the door for emphasis. "They barely got a word out before I did this."

Lucas crosses his arms. "What could the pigmasks want from us again? We stopped their leader. If it's revenge they want..."

"Stop it! Stop it!" the private squeals from the wall, struggling even more against the restraints. "Most of the other soldiers up and quit! I'm only in uniform for the occasion!"

"Occasion?" Lucas asks, tilting his head.

The pigmask lets their breathing calm before they continue. "I had heard through the grapevine of The Commander's death. I thought it only fair I would pay my respects. He was an excellent leader." The soldier turns their head away.

Flint stomps in, fists clenched. "He was no one's 'commander'. Not willingly," he growls. "That's not the kind of person he was."

Lucas looks between the captive on the wall, limp with defeat, and his father, still fuming with anger. His own chest pounds, heavy with sorrow and conflict. "Dad, I understand but... if this person really cared about coming here it's not like we can turn them away." He shuts his eyes tightly, bracing for any sort of impact.

"This...it's not as if they really knew him," Flint yells, though his voice wavers.

"Maybe they just knew him differently than us but they still remember him," Lucas responds, trying not to yell back.

"Claus," he inhales as he says the name. It stings like glass is moving through his lungs. "Claus meant just as much to them, or at least enough."

Flint relaxes his arms and looks at the captive on the wall. "Let's just get this over with," he sighs

\---

As it turns out, the pigmask is named Jordan. They are far less intimidating with their mask removed, revealing a flushed, podgy face and a mess of brown curls. As the rest of the residents make the rest of the preparations, Jordan explains how much they admired the commander, with face flushing even more as they spoke and eyes twinkling. Lucas somewhat recalls running into a pigmask with a similar admiration, wondering if this one was the same. Flint, meanwhile sulks in the corner until it is time to leave.

It is a very short walk from the castle to the cemetery but with the entirety of the village around, it creates quite a back-up. Luckily, Lucas, his father and his friends are escorted to the forefront of the burial site by Nippolyte. It is the same hilltop where Hinawa is buried. There is a hole right beside her grave with a casket at the edge. The sight fills Lucas with a sense of dread, and he can sense the same emotion from his father. Boney whines and lies down at his feet.

Lucas turns to see the entire village and then some gathering. He knows there are more waiting at the bottom of the hill, as well. Amongst them, he sees Jordan holding their mask limp in their hands. From behind, Nippolyte is also escorting his grandfather, Alec. He doesn't notice until he feels the weight of a hand on his shoulder and turns to see him. Alec gathers him into a tight hug, saying nothing until he stops and goes to shake Flint's hand.

"How are you?" Alec asks Flint quietly. Flint simply droops his shoulders and shakes his head. "Dunno," he responds. Alec nods and pats his shoulder. "I don't know if I could answer that either."

Nippolyte steps up and clears his throat. "If you all don't mind, I would like to start the service now." The crowd quiets and he begins. He reads a sacred text, prattling in an antiquated tongue, about how every life that ends makes way for a new one. Lucas keeps his eyes planted on the casket. He feels like his chest is being constricted.

"Lucas, would you mind saying something?" Nippolyte calls to him, stirring him from his trance. His legs feel like jelly as he moves to the front, turning to the crowd.

"My brother..." he begins, searching his mind for what to say next. The crowd is gazing at him expectantly. Duster and Kumatora give a small smile at him. He gathers courage. "My brother was only a few minutes older than me, but I always looked up to him. He seemed tougher and stronger than I could ever dream to be." Lucas looks to his friends for approval, who give him a small nod to continue.

"I can't forget how he always smelled like the outdoors, or how he coaxed me to learn to swim. We had the same favorite food, omelets. He gave really tight hugs...uh..." Lucas stares at the ground beneath his feet as if it will give him answers. Finally, he looks up. "He touched so many lives. Even if he seemed a little rough, he would do anything for the people he cared about. I wouldn't trade knowing him for anything," he grins but tears prick at the corners of his eyes. "I'll miss him a lot, and so many other people will too. Th...Thank you."

Lucas rushes back to his place and swiftly gets a group hug from his father, grandfather, and friends as the rest of the group applauds.

\---

As the rest of the crowd disperses after the funeral, Lucas, Flint and Alec stay behind.

"Even though you made all that up on the spot, that was still a wonderful speech, Lucas," Alec says. Lucas nods, keeping his eyes transfixed on the two graves. Flint is crouched in front of them, muttering something with a lowered head. Lucas joins him, running his hands over the newly carved text of his brother's stone.

  
Claus  
Brother of Lucas  
Son of Flint and Hinawa  
Grandson of Alec  
"You are loved. Remain at peace."

  
Lucas looks at Flint. "Are you ready to go? The sun is setting."

Flint closes his eyes and nods. "It's just still hard to believe."

Lucas puts an arm around his shoulder. "I know. I miss them both."

Flint looks up at the sky and gets up. "We can always come back here."

"Yes."

The three of them head down the hill. Lucas notices Jordan passing them, heading up again. He is holding a polished silver helmet under his arm. He says nothing of it to his father and grandfather, who are too busy chatting amongst themselves.

When Lucas finally works up the courage to return to the graves, he sees a helmet and sword laid at his brother's stone.

\---

The night proceeding his son's funeral, Flint can't bring himself to sleep. He paces about the dining hall, unable to concentrate on any one thought. As he pads about, Lisa slips in, nearly unnoticed until he raises his head. She has a robe wrapped around herself, presumably a nightgown underneath.

"L...Lisa," Flint stammers in surprise. "I didn't see you come in."

"Sorry for startling you," she grins slightly, taking a seat at the table. She pulls out another chair and pats it invitingly. Flint warily takes a seat, only because his feet are tired from pacing.

"What brings you here?" He asks.

"I suppose I couldn't sleep much either," she sighs, resting her chin in her hand. "I couldn't find time to ask anyone about dreams, either."

"That's alright," Flint says. "I have more on my mind than just weird dreams."

"I had a feeling. I really can't imagine what it's like to go through something like that. I wish I could be more of a help."

"I'm just...empty feeling I guess. Like I'm the one who can't help anyone." His shoulders slump.

"You did your best, Flint," she says soothingly. She attempts to put a hand on his shoulder but he pushes it away. She pulls away and they sit in silence for a while. Finally, Flint mumbles. "Sorry." Lisa simply nods.

Lisa decides to change the subject. "Who do you think the people are?"

"Who?"

"The people in our dreams."

Flint bites his lip and scratches his chin. "I wouldn't know," he says. "I can't recall meeting any of them."

"Isn't it strange they feel so familiar? At least to me."

Flint nods. "They feel familiar to me too, like I've known them for a long time."

"You know," Lisa says, picking up her head "I've heard somewhere that you only see people you've seen before in your dreams."

"Is that so?"

"I don't remember where I heard that either," she shrugs.

Flint responds with a yawn. His eyelids grow heavy. "Maybe," he yawns again "we could use some rest now." He stretches, now struggling to keep his eyes open. _I didn't think I was this exhausted_ , he thought.

Lisa nods. "That's a good idea. Maybe we can gather more clues from our dreams, as strange as it sounds."

"I suppose stranger things have happened."

The two get up to go back to their respective beds. Before leaving the dining hall, Lisa turns to Flint.

"Goodnight."

"Same to you," he mumbles. The two part ways and head off to bed.

Flint falls into a deep sleep as soon as he lies down.

\---

_Ness and Paula turn to the voice behind them. Jeff's husband is giving a small smirk, a hand placed on his hip. Ness jumps a bit in surprise._

_"Tony, ah! We weren't expecting to see you there."_

_"Really? I thought you were psychic or something."_

_Ness gives a small laugh and Paula rolls her eyes. "What brings you here?" Paula asks._

_"It's almost time to go," Tony says, his voice suddenly taking a serious tone._

_Ness looks between Paula and Tony. "Now is as good of a time as any," he sighs._

_"Now is the best time, actually," Jeff says, coming up behind Tony. "Now or never."_

_The two get up and follow Jeff and Tony down the hall into the room where the vessels are stored. Poo is waiting there, his seemingly permanent scowl even more hard set than usual. His arms are folded across his chest._

_"There you are," he says. "This already took long enough, what with you having to scrounge up another specimen for your lover."_

_"It's better than the other option," Jeff huffs. "We weren't going to leave anyone behind."_

_Poo raises his voice. "I suppose it's lucky for you that my family cannot have a second chance at life," he barks "Aren't we glad that this is the world we saved from some alien threat, when the real threat was ourselves?"_

_"As much as I would love to wax poetic on human nature, we have more pressing matters to attend to," Jeff growls._

_Tony steps between the two. "Please. I know tensions are high, what with the world practically crumbling around us, but can't you solve it like the friends I know you are?"_

_Poo simply huffs. "Jeff is right about one thing. We have no more time to waste."_

_He steps forward and pulls away the sheet covering a lump lying on an operating table._

\---

Bronson wakes in the middle of the night. His heart is pounding.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry again for taking so long to add a new chapter! I've been preoccupied with work and various adult responsibilities. Anyway, thank you so much for the comments and kudos. Stuff like that does keep me motivated to write more because I know someone is reading it.


	5. Recollection

Bronson's head swims as he serves breakfast the next morning. His mind continues to replay the scene that startled him to waking the night before.

_That man with the ponytail pulls back the sheet and..._

A chill shoots through his body and the pot of oatmeal clatters to the floor. Immediately people stand to help him clean the mess. He mentally chastises himself for the mistake as he stoops down to do his part in cleaning. Food is still scarce, though teams of people go into the forest to forage for edible ingredients and seeds.

"Damn, I don't know what came over me," he mutters.

"Don't worry too much about it, we're all served," Tessie chimes in as she helps. "Are you feeling alright?"

Bronson shakes his head. "I hardly slept last night."

"Maybe you should rest today, I can take over your shift after my rounds in the medicine tent."

"I appreciate the offer, but I don't think it's..."

"Please, I insist," she interrupts. "You'll be less help to us if you're sick or tired."

Bronson crosses his arms. "I suppose you're right."

Tessie grins. "Go have a seat with the others."

Bronson nods and does exactly that, sitting a few seats away from Flint and Lucas. They look worse than he could ever feel at the moment, though Lucas has an aura of determination about him. He sighs, wondering if he should try striking a conversation with them after everything that happened the day before. He remembers how Flint reacted when he gave him the news about Hinawa.

'Maybe I shouldn't say anything unless he talks to me first,' he thinks. He takes a bite of his oatmeal. _'Bland as ever,'_ he pouts. Still, he continues to eat. As he does so, Lisa takes a seat across from him. He wonders why she is smiling slightly.

"Oh, hello Lisa," he greets nonchalantly. "Why won't you sit with Thomas and the kids?"

"They were eager to get out and start their projects and you looked lonely over here," she replies. "Plus, I wanted to ask you something."

"What could that be?"

"It's just that I heard you scream last night. Are you all right?"

"Not really," he sighs, lowering his shoulders. "I had trouble sleeping last night."

"Oh, really? Why?" she asked. Bronson feels her shaking from the other side of the table. He sits upright again.

"I just had a strange dream. It felt so real," he says.

Lisa's face lights up like a Christmas tree. Bronson is taken back. _'What the hell is going on?'_ he thinks.

"Oh, I see," she says. "It seems it's been happening to lots of us lately, myself and Flint included."

"Well, everyone has strange dreams in their life," he shrugs.

"The things you experienced might not be so normal," Lisa retorts as she leans forward. "You should come meet Flint and I after breakfast so we can talk about it more. I think you'll see what I mean."

"It can't hurt to try, I guess," he sighs.

"Great! I'll see you there," she nearly sings. She goes and sits next to Flint and Bronson watches them talk quietly among themselves. Eventually, they both look at him, Flint giving a lopsided grin as if he knew something he didn't. It unsettles him even more and he wonders what Lisa is trying to rope the two of them into.

\---

After breakfast, Bronson attempts to avoid the confrontation as much as possible by trying to clean. However, Tessie shoos him away. He sighs as he slinks out reluctantly to meet up with Lisa and Flint. He walks for a bit before he sees the two standing at the gates of the cemetery. They are still chatting  like two children telling gossip. 

Eventually, Flint picks up his head and waves Bronson over.

"Hey, there you are," he calls. "Lisa had told me about how you were having unusual dreams. I know it sounds strange but we want to know more about it."

Bronson crosses his arms. "I don't see what the big deal is," he grumbles. "The whole thing just left an impression on me I guess."

"Can you at least tell us what it's about?" asks Lisa.

He scratched his chin. "Well, the whole thing kind of felt like I was watching a play, but from the inside," he explains. "Like I was there to see things but not actually there."

Lisa and Flint look at each other and nod. "Continue," Lisa encourages.

He went on. "There was a man with a strange hairstyle standing over a bed with a sheet over it. There were some other beds in the room with sheets on them too. They all looked like they were covering something."

Bronson shifts a bit. 

"Anyway, some other people came in and the man was arguing with one of them about their...lover needing a specimen?" he shrugs. "I didn't understand a lot of it, but it felt like this guy lost so much. He was so bitter and..." he trails off and shudders a bit "I felt the same things he was feeling, like I could understand his life perfectly. It's as if I knew him, though I've never seen him before."

Flint lowers his head. "It's the same as our dreams, mostly," he says. "We both have that feeling too, like we know people in them even though we've never seen them before."

"That's not even the worst of it, though," he gulps. "He...he pulled back that sheet and..."

"It was your face under it, right?" Lisa chimes in.

"Yes!" he exclaims. He grows flustered. "How...how did you know that?"

"Last night, Flint and I both had the same dream," she said. "Though I'm beginning to suspect that these aren't really dreams at all."

Bronson puts a hand over his gaping mouth. "What do you mean?"

"I think these could be visions of something that really happened. Even more so," she looks him dead in the eye "these could be events from our past lives."

Bronson puts a hand on his hip. "You really think that's the case?"

"I didn't think it either, but then we also had shared a vision when we weren't sleeping. We spoke to each other as the people from our dream," Flint said.

"If only we could trigger that again," Lisa adds.

Flint looks up. "The hill! That's where it happened last time."

"We might as well try it," Lisa responds. She turns to Bronson. "You might want to follow us," she tells him.

\---

Boney sniffs at the dirt until he picks up an appealing scent. He goes stiff, making a pointing motion with his front paw.

"Thanks, boy," Lucas says, giving him a pat. He, Kumatora, and Duster are out on foraging duty. Each of them have some degree of knowledge on the subject from their time of living off the land. Having a dog with a good sense of smell helps as well. They follow Boney to where he tracks the scent. He barks and Lucas kneels at the spot. A cluster of small, white mushrooms are growing at the base of a tree.

"I'm not too sure about these, honestly." He pokes at them with a stick. "I'm kind of wary of mushrooms after that time on TaneTane Island..."

"I'm sure Boney wouldn't have lead us to them if he didn't think they were safe," Kumatora shrugs. "They don't look like that kind of mushroom at all, either."

"I suppose we could take them back and test them somehow," he replies. "We should keep them away from the other food, though."

Kumatora rolls her eyes. "It's probably not even potent."

"I'm gonna agree with Lucas on this," Duster chimes in. "Better safe than sorry."

Kumatora sighs and bends down to help Lucas. "I'm wearing gloves so I guess I could pick them if you're so worried."

"Good idea," he nods.

Boney helps her dig down to the roots and she is able to pull them out with ease. When she is finished, she looks over at Lucas. He appears to be staring into space.

Kumatora waves a hand in front of his face. 

"Lucas? Hello? Are you okay?" she calls out to him.

Lucas rapidly shakes his head. He pinches his temples. "I just felt...I still...I feel dizzy," he stammers out. As he turns to look at Kumatora, she notices how pale his face has become. "Something is happening with Dad," he mumbles. He sways and Kumatora moves quickly to support him.

Duster crouches by Lucas, brandishing a canteen full of well water. "Do you need a drink?"

Lucas opens his mouth to respond but instead, his eyelids flutter. He falls from Kumatora's support with a thud.

Kumatora removes a glove and puts a hand on his forehead. "He's burning up. His fever must be coming to a head now," she says to Duster. "All we can do is wait it out until he wakes up."

Boney whimpers as he lays down beside Lucas.

\---

Bronson watches Flint stare across the horizon from the edge of the hill. 

He folds his arms, wondering if he should join him. The two of them turn at the sound of Lisa's impatient tapping on the grass. "Are we ready or are we going to admire the view some more?"

Bronson rolls his eyes. "Ready when you are," he groans. "But how are we supposed to go about...whatever it is we're supposed to be doing?"

"That's a good question," Lisa replies. "Last time we had that vision thing, it just sort of happened right?"

Flint moves in, scratching at the scruff on his chin. "Well, there must have been something we did. How did we end up here together again?"

"I was just trying to get your attention," she shrugs. "I guess we were trying to have a conversation. Obviously, it was about the dreams, right?"

"Yeah, I was explaining my dream to you because you wanted to know, then...that thing happened," he muses.

"We need to think, though. What were we explaining when it happened?"

For a moment, Flint rests his head in his hand, then he looks up. "I was talking about who I was in the dream."

Something like a small pulse moves through Bronson's body and he shudders. 'Who I was?'

"I think," Bronson suddenly says "We should describe who we were feeling most connected to."

The other two turn to look at him and Flint nods. "Keep going," he says.

"Oh! Well for me, it was a very serious looking man with a...a ponytail?" Another pulse moves through his body. It feels bigger this time, as if it is moving through the other through the ground.

"I was a man, too," says Lisa. "I was a man with glasses. In my first dream I was only a child but in this dream, I was an adult. I think the child and adult are the same person."

Another powerful pulse moves through the area. This time, Bronson is sure his vision is blurring. He wonders if the same is happening to the other two.

Flint looks between the two before he offers his contribution. "I was also a child in my first dream, but I was an adult with black hair in this dream. I think...that they are the same person..."

Flint's words echo as the final pulse rocks the area and knocks Bronson to his knees. For a moment, his vision goes black.

\---  


A warmth engulfs Poo as he's welcomed into the space. Immediately he recognizes two of his friends. 

"Jeff! Ness!" he calls out to them.

The two look over. Ness is the first to break into a smile. "Poo! You made it!" He comes over to give him a hug. Poo wraps Ness in a large embrace.

"It's been a long time," he mumbles.

"Sure has," Ness laughs.

Poo breaks the hug to look over at Jeff. He is hanging back, the look on his face surprisingly apprehensive. He suddenly remembers why and shudders. Slowly, he walks over to Jeff.

"It's over now," he says. He looks him in the eye. "I can forgive you."

"How?" Jeff turns away. "Your family..."

"They could have gone if they had wanted," he interrupts. "My wife chose to stay behind to protect Dalaam. I was the selfish one. She could have gone in my place."

"But in all of this we forgot something very important," Jeff says.

Poo gives him a quizzical look.

"They could have gone in their own bodies," he squeaks out. "We needed the new bodies because going on the ship after traveling through time would hurt us again. Tony wanted to exercise caution because he was suspended in that alien fluid in Stonehenge, too."

"Then why did she insist to stay behind?" Poo asks, his voice growing weak. "I could have stayed if she wanted someone to protect our country." He covers his face as he feels hot pricking at the corners of his eyes."She kept our children with her too."

"Perhaps she didn't want her memories wiped, there's no way to say for certain. I'm sorry." Jeff lowers his head.

Poo lowers his shoulders and sighs. Ness moves in to place a hand on his shoulder. "Maybe she changed her mind and went on the ship! We still haven't found Tony and Paula yet, so don't give up."

Poo gives Ness a slight smile. "You are correct. I was beginning to wonder where they were."

A look of concern crosses Jeff's face. "It's certainly worrying. Where can we start to look?"

"This might sound dumb, but if our new bodies...people...whatever are married, we can start looking there," Ness replies

"It actually is a good idea," Jeff nods. "But if we find them, what will happen?"

"I'm not sure. I just want to see them again," Ness says.

"That would be ideal, yes," Jeff blushes slightly. "I guess we should go for now, but I hope we can meet up again soon."

The other two nod. Poo relaxes from the mental strain of keeping up his projection. Before it all fades away, he swears he can see the corner of a pink dress.

\---

Lucas feels his head pound as he opens his eyes to a strange place. It's a bedroom, but one he has never been in before. He rubs a hand over the plush carpet. The walls are painted pink and stuffed animals of every shape and size line the shelves. There are also few polished frying pans mounted on the wall.

_'How strange to have those in a bedroom,'_ he thinks to himself, though being in such an unfamiliar place, it really is the least of his worries.

Suddenly, he hears a humming and casts his line of sight to the source. A girl with a red ribbon fastened in her blond hair is making the bed, a   
small smile planted on her face. He jumps in surprise. The girl turns, her smile growing warmer and wider.

"Lucas, have you come to help me with my chores?"

Lucas shakes. The girl has his mother's voice.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for the delay again! I had written up half of the chapter right after finishing Chapter 4, then I got extremely side-tracked. With the holidays coming I don't know how much I can do. I really am resolving to finish the story, though.   
> Thank you to everyone who has read and commented!


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